fairies on my shoes, the blue

  of my jeans showing

through their minute white

  wings, i believe

  in everything

i believe in everything

round moon, stark tube of

  metal flying through the big

sky, wide open eye

of the universe above us,

  cloud-dappled,

  cotton

a softened flap of birds

  surrounding, shadows on

a mountain, the tall ridge

  of the river, dog bark

like an aerial shot of misery,

i am three steps from the bed

heavy reeds, jewel-coloured

  and sun-bright, standing tall

as soldiers, tall as trees,

  and they take photos of me;

the heron, up

  high and observing

the earth is turning, mud

  black to dust beige,

and ducklings chase

their mothers;

  i hang back,

afraid to be

  seen

this greedy summer,

this oncoming heat

where is the bridge

to cross, the past

  in front of me;

memory

  ankle-biting, as i walk

this path

  a thousandth time